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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. last — to go on
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. toast — bread
  7. scale — size or range
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. firm — decided
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. last — final
  12. firm — a company
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. scale — in music
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wound — an injury
  19. firm — steady
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. last — finally
  22. wound — an injury
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. scale — for weighing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com